""Nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don't mean anything—like snot-nose. It's hard to explain—ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody's favoring Negroes over and above themselves. It's slipped into usage with some people like ourselves, when they want a common, ugly term to label somebody."
"You aren't really a nigger-lover, then, are you?"
"I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody... I'm hard put, sometimes—baby, it's never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn't hurt you." (Chapter 11)
Scout has trouble at school because her dad is referred to as a "nigger lover". The kids at school are calling him this because he is working as a lawyer for a black man; Tom Robinson; who was accused of rape. Her father, Atticus explains to her why people use the term "nigger-lover". In the 1930's racism was still a huge issue; black people were still viewed to be under white peoples' feet. Some white people still think that black people are under our feet; we are better than them just because of our skin color. I love how Atticus owns up to the nickname, too. Atticus seems like a great father, he is always teaching Scout right from wrong and how to be a better person.
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